A Little Solace
by You-drive-me-nuts-miller
Summary: After the madness and revelations of the last day, Emma seeks solace in her own company. But she is never really alone...


**My first ever OUAT/CS fic...**

"Emma…" The name came out in a breathless whisper as he brought his afflicted arm around her waist and pulled her to him. His remaining hand drew a finger down the soft curve of her cheek, its trail leaving an icy chill in its wake. She shivered at his touch, ripples of want cascading through her as she pushed her body closer to him.

How had it came to this? She had gone alone into the forest. She needed to gather her thoughts. Neverland, Pan, Henry, her parents, Neal, _Hook…_ So many thoughts jumbling and cascading inside of her, she wanted to scream in frustration.

Slumped against a tree, letting the frustration come forth in the form of hot stinging tears that welled in the corner of her eyes before tipping forth and flooding her cheeks with their bitterness.

Honesty. Truth. Sincerity. The foundations of every good relationship. The root of all good.

In reality, the cause of all pain. Some things are best left unsaid.

Sinking to the floor, her chest racked with the sobs. God, she hoped she was far enough away that they wouldn't hear her. She had to be strong. For Henry. For everyone…

These private moments of weakness were the chink in her armour. The soft spot where she could be touched. So she shed them in solace, hidden away, until the mask of certainty returned. Until she could be what they needed – the saviour.

The sound of shifting branches caused her to pause and quickly rub her face. The light was dimming now and shadows were her only guide, the area around her dissolving into a picture of greys and moonlit bluish hues.

Then he was there. The edges of his heavy, leather coat brushed against her shoulder as he passed by. Kneeling beside her, she tilted her head until she met his dark lined, piercing blue gaze.

"What-"

"Shhhh," he hushed.

Wordlessly she was in his arms.

"So sad Emma. So much hurt and sadness."

His soft, comforting tones brought forth another wave of tears, her eyes pressing closed as her cheeks became sodden. She felt his hand, rough and coarse, chase the watery trails as they fell from her face, dampening her shirt.

The tears were making her head hurt. Instinctively, she laid her head against him, letting him draw her closer. The soft hair of his chest was comforting against her cheek. _This is wrong. You should leave, _her mind told her in a small voice. But the steady beat of his heart, the soothing sound of his voice and the feel of his hand as it ran through her hair held her frozen in place.

Slowly, she pulled back: chest still heaving, eyes swollen and vision blurred. His face came into focus. The cool tones of his skin were harshly rendered against the black of his hair. He waited, watching as her breathing slowed and she wiped away the last evidence of tears.

"I wish you hadn't seen that-" she admitted, her voice still shaking a little.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of love," he replied softly, barely audible. He shifted so her back was once again against the tree and his hook dug into the soft earth of the forest floor. "I was worried about you."

A small smile pulled at the edges of her mouth.

"I thought you only cared about yourself-" she said flippantly, instantly regretting it as she saw a shadow of pain cross his eyes.

"Emma…" He said her name again, drawing out each vowel, piercing straight through her. She clenched her eyes shut as his voice ricocheted in the small space around them.

"Sorry." The word was small, but the meaning hung heavy in the air. Reaching up, she slid her hand into his hair, rubbing her thumb across the weathered skin of his cheek. "This is all such a mess…" She shook her head sadly.

"It is," he admitted sadly, twisting his body so they sat side by side, watching the cool glow of the moon as it shone through the forest canopy. Moments passed, who could say how many? The only sound the faint chirp of crickets and the regular rhythm of breaths taken in unison.

Finally, she placed a hand on top of his, interlacing their fingers. He swallowed hard, stilling his body at her touch.

"Maybe we can forget about it all. Just for a moment. Pretend…" her head turned so they were face to face, his breath warm against her neck, "Pretend that things are different."

Slowly, achingly slowly, they closed the gap between them. Lips brushed lightly – hesitantly - against each other, hidden as they were under the dark cloak of night. She sifted forward, so close she could once again feel his heartbeat as her arms circled his neck, his weight pressing on his hook as he cupped her cheek and leaned into her.

And then they were lost. It was a moment of heat, fire, aching, longing… So many emotions at once. Everything else didn't matter. Everything else was pushed from her mind. The only feeling was of his lips as they branded hers, his beard as it scratched harshly against her soft skin and his hand as it pulled her up to him.

Did it have to end, she wondered absentmindedly. They could run, hide, never go back… She moaned softly into his mouth as ripples of pleasure ran through her body. His essence was tipping into her, giving her strength. He gave her his all, his fire, his passion-

Abruptly he pulled away. And she saw it in his eyes. That want, that _need. _Her own expression reflected in his. And at the same time the understanding this was all it could be. All they could ever be. Now that things had changed…

Silently, he stood, keeping his gaze on her before he turned and wordlessly walked away, leaving her crouched on the floor of the wood, alone and lost. Wondering what on earth she was going to do…

_**Please review if you enjoyed it!**_


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